Part IX

EPOV (Edward)

I walked down to meet my family with Bella at my side. There was a sigh of relief upon my entrance. "Shall we." I prompted. We were all to speak to the people then lead them to the burial site where they were to give their offerings. At the end the family friends and family would join us for dinner. It seemed simple enough.

My mother approached us, she approached Bella. "Thank you, Bella. Edward we will talk at dinner, won't we?" I hadn't told her about Bella and she intended for me to.

"Yes, mother, we will." I agreed. I suppose she deserved to know what I felt for Bella.

When we arrived before the people, naturally, Robert spoke to them. He accepted their condolences and made it known that their offerings were much appreciated.

The rest was a haze. The burial and the people's compassionate faces was all a haze. The way they looked at me and at Bella. It was something I hadn't noticed. It was like walking aimlessly, no purpose and no motivation for the cause.

If everyone knew, the would not question my actions. Who would be so keen after finding out that their father was ready to give him up? A father who quite literally despised him, who would be so accepting of that? Not me, but I gave a dying man his peace, it should count towards something.

Bella finally talked to me at dinner. "You've been quiet." I nodded mutely. "Edward, is everything alright." I shook my head no. "Are you going to talk?" We sat in a table meant for my family but they were mingling, talking to family friends.

"What's there to say?"

She remained silent for a minute. "I don't know. I don't like seeing you this way, I want to do something for you – oh god…never mind, I shouldn't have said that. Forget it." I smiled. She did care.

"No I appreciate your concern far more than you think. It means a lot."

She held back a beautiful smile. Her deep brown eyes looked up at me, they showed me nothing but sincerity. I had still yet to let go of her hand. I held it within my own. I raised her hand kissed it. I expected her to pull away but to my surprise she didn't.

"Why?

I didn't understand her question. "Pardon me."

"Why me? I'm no one, everyone who sees us knows. You are the Duke's brother, you deserve a woman of that same class. I put you to shame, this will never work. I don't know if this is a game to you but if it's not I hope you realize that this does not happen, a maid does not end up with someone like you."

"This is not a game. I don't care about where you're from or who you are not."

"I'm here tonight but eventually you will see that I don't belong here. Edward please understand that."

"I don't belong either but no one's commented on that."

"What?"

"Never mind. What you should know is that you are better than many people here. All these people care about it wealth and presence. They are shallow and arrogant, mind you so am I but I sure as hell don't want to end up with a person like me."

"I wouldn't take you for shallow."

"I meant arrogant."

"That I do see."

"Like I was saying, you don't want to belong to all these people."

"I see what you are saying." I saw her eyes shift from me to someone behind me. She made a small smile to someone. I turned and found a man. He looked…Spanish perhaps, just as old as Bella and I. He looked at me and back at Bella.

"Would you mind if I stepped away for a moment?" She asked.

She amused me in so many ways. She asked me as if I could stop her. I actually could but I wouldn't. "I'm not your warden."

"I suppose not. I won't be long." As Bella got up my mother motioned me for me to come to her. I nodded. I almost heard her thoughts.

"I'll be with my mother."

BPOV (Bella)

"Mr. Santillana –"

"You call him Edward, why not call me Jacob?"

"Jacob, I'm not used to this sort informality."

"I don't want formality."

"As you wish, Jacob."

"Now that that is settled I must ask you why you didn't inform me."

"Inform you of what?" I was oblivious to what he was saying.

"You didn't tell me you were with someone, with the Duke's brother. You know you could've done so yesterday." The way he said gave me the impression that he was upset. He could be. I for one have never been a good reader in people, they give me signs and I always misread them.

"Would it have mattered?" I asked cautiously.

He shrugged. "I guess not." I could see that it did.

"I'm sorry."

"Stop, stop, right now, you didn't do anything wrong. It was merely a question, nothing you were required to tell me."

"I'm not with him. He's taken fancy to me but would you honestly believe that I was with him. I'm a maid, don't forget that. I may disguise myself as someone else but I won't ever cease to be a maid. He is not mine." As much as I'd like him to be, I added mentally.

His brow arched. "Very well as you say."

"He's not with me, really."

"It doesn't seem that way. The way he looks at you, it makes me think you mean something more to him. The way you talk about him…if I didn't know better I would think you're in love." There was a hint of sadness in his voice.

I quickly denied it. "Uh…no I don't…I…no. It…no... If anything I'm another woman he will dispose of as soon as he tires of me, believe me I don't want to be in this situation but his grace demanded that I accompany him."

"I'm sure you were happy to comply."

"Perhaps but I know what the outcome will be."

EPOV (Edward)

I made my way to my mother. I couldn't count the amount of condolences I got from everyone as I walked by them. I hated the way I felt, I didn't want to feel this way forever but I didn't foresee any relief. "You called." I said as I approached her.

"Who is she and why don't I know of her?"

I smiled. "Her name is Isabella Swan. I met her the day I returned."

"You seem to have this attachment to her."

"We made an agreement." I simply said.

"It seems so. She stirs something inside you, I can see that. You seem so different around her. Is there a reason?" My mother was always so perceptive, I used to think maybe I got that from her, now…perhaps she taught me well.

"Perhaps."

"Is she the girl?"

"How do you mean?" I asked not understanding her question.

"Is she the girl you're been searching for? She is a maid, I know but I don't think that matters to you. It does not matter to me as long as that lifestyle where you've hurt much more woman than you can count, the lifestyle where you live your life without direction, as long as it ends." They way she said it made me feel so bad, almost like a criminal. In a certain way I guess I was. "If she is, then you had better not let her go."

"I don't have any plans to, I assure you."

"That's good my, son. I'm allowed to call you that?"

"Mother, that's an utterly absurd question. I have no right to deny you that."

She frowned. "Edward I knew this whole time. I knew why he treated you that way and I didn't do a thing. I tried to protect you best I could. I wanted to tell you but I was afraid that you would despise me. Edward, I saw that you suffered and I saw that what your father did turned you into a bad person. You believed that that was the road to take but you are a gentleman at heart."

"It's not your fault." I assured her.

"I knew and I let it continue. I just don't want you to hold a grudge against him. He knew it was a mistake. In the end, he wanted to tell you, he feared he would take the terrible secret to his grave. He made me swear I would tell you if you were too late. Edward he was mistaken and he treated you wrongfully but he loved you. In his own way he loved you, you are his son."

I took a deep breath. "I can't just forget it. I'm so confused, I don't know how to feel. I am mourning his death but I am also angry for what he did." I admitted.

"You have that right."

"I don't know if I should hate him or if I should hate myself." I walk around and people take me as cold hearted but that is not it. As much as I want to deny it I have his blood running through my veins. I owe him life but…what he did was inexcusable. He took all his regret and his anger out on me. It was not my fault. He made me think it was.

"You have time." She whispered. "Can I ask you a question?"

I pulled away. "Of course."

"You love her." It was no question at all, it was a statement. She turned to Bella and I followed her gaze.

She looked so beautiful. Her wavy brown hair put up into a loose bun. Her plump lips, the ones I couldn't wait to taste again, her innocent warm brown eyes were captivating

"Surprisingly so, the girl is everything I ever wanted although she is so far from my grasp."

"You're not one to give up."

"She will be my wife, mother, I know she will."